Why the Financial Crisis Can’t Become an Excuse for Neglecting Climate Change

The last few weeks have focused the world’s attention on the economy, stock markets and interest rates. Understandably so – who isn’t interested in the financial crisis? After the immediate shock of the financial crisis, however, it now seems – thanks to swift political action – that the crisis may be prevented from developing into a global economic collapse. To deal with this crisis, we have seen world leaders come together and make far-reaching agreements with record speed. When stock markets plummet, politicians act quickly. If only politicians would act so quickly and resolutely in response to the climate change crisis! Scientists have seen – and warned of – the signs of a threatening climate collapse, long before Wall Street arrived at the cliff from which it recently plummeted. Why is it that world leaders cannot come together on climate change and show the same form of dedication to finding a solution for this crisis as they do in response to an economic crisis?